Trouser Press, November 1980: Difference between revisions
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The fans are mostly the North American rock audience you'd expect at any such event. This being Canada, they are a bit more blonde and healthy looking. There are rock fans with coolers of beer and frisbees; lots of hippies; and a smattering of punks, some with dyed hair, some sweltering in leather. There are even a few skinny ties. | The fans are mostly the North American rock audience you'd expect at any such event. This being Canada, they are a bit more blonde and healthy looking. There are rock fans with coolers of beer and frisbees; lots of hippies; and a smattering of punks, some with dyed hair, some sweltering in leather. There are even a few skinny ties. | ||
The performers crack a lot of Woodstock jokes and a few Clash jokes (they had been advertised to play but canceled). Nick Lowe advises, "Watch out for the brown acid." Fred Schneider of the B-52's says, "I'd like to announce that three babies have been born here today and they've all been named Heatwave." Martin Belmont introduced "Just Another Whistle Stop" as "a Joe Strummer song." Elvis Costello steps up to the mike and announces, "Hello, we're the Clash." ''[Whatta sense of humor. — Ed.]'' | The performers crack a lot of Woodstock jokes and a few Clash jokes (they had been advertised to play but canceled). Nick Lowe advises, "Watch out for the brown acid." Fred Schneider of the B-52's says, "I'd like to announce that three babies have been born here today and they've all been named Heatwave." Martin Belmont introduced "Just Another Whistle Stop" as "a Joe Strummer song." Elvis Costello steps up to the <!-- mike --> mic and announces, "Hello, we're the Clash." ''[Whatta sense of humor. — Ed.]'' | ||
The Pretenders waste half their set warming up. Chrissie Hynde is stiff at first, afraid to let go. Her band is coldly professional; they know their moves but not the reasons for making them. The expertise works on the album, where it sounds like care and craft, but live — when emotion counts — it falls flat. | The Pretenders waste half their set warming up. Chrissie Hynde is stiff at first, afraid to let go. Her band is coldly professional; they know their moves but not the reasons for making them. The expertise works on the album, where it sounds like care and craft, but live — when emotion counts — it falls flat. | ||
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Talking Heads, however, supply the first surprise and only real news of the day by debuting their new format: a nine-piece outfit veering sharply away from their old sound and into funk. They begin with the old line-up plus guitarist Adrian Belew, and get "Psycho Killer" out of the way straight off. Byrne is no longer the whacko preppie spraying spittle over the front rows, acting so awkward and nervous we worry how he'll make it through the next song. Now he seems so calm and collected he could almost be under hypnosis. | Talking Heads, however, supply the first surprise and only real news of the day by debuting their new format: a nine-piece outfit veering sharply away from their old sound and into funk. They begin with the old line-up plus guitarist Adrian Belew, and get "Psycho Killer" out of the way straight off. Byrne is no longer the whacko preppie spraying spittle over the front rows, acting so awkward and nervous we worry how he'll make it through the next song. Now he seems so calm and collected he could almost be under hypnosis. | ||
After a couple of numbers the stage fills with people: Bernie Worrell, ex-Funkadelic, on keyboards; bassist Busta Cherry Jones; vocalist | After a couple of numbers the stage fills with people: Bernie Worrell, ex-Funkadelic, on keyboards; bassist Busta Cherry Jones; vocalist Dolette McDonald and Steven Scale on percussion. The Talking Heads Pan-Cultural Funk Orchestra lurches into "I Zimbra" and "Cities," throwing up cross-currents of rhythm. The stage is full of dancing and motion, except for Byrne, who stands calmly in the eye of the storm. Most of the newcomers are grouped on the left-hand side not just playing their instruments but dancing and funkin' around; in contrast, the original Talking Heads concentrate on the music. Worrell swoops over his keyboards, Jones and Tiny Weymouth provide double-punch bass, guitars mesh and move around each other. "We're not the same as we used to be," Byrne says, understating as usual. Talk about a full sound! | ||
Some of the material disappoints through lack of daring: Most of the new songs attempt a simple groove but end up like tape loops, spinning endlessly. Byrne is searching for a synthesis of disco, funk and various ethnic trance-musics, and hasn't quite found it yet. Jones' bass is mechanical and heavy-handed; Weymouth, who followed him, didn't exhibit her sharp contrapuntal sense. This is the "new" Heads' first time out, though, and when they work out the bugs it's going to be incredible. | Some of the material disappoints through lack of daring: Most of the new songs attempt a simple groove but end up like tape loops, spinning endlessly. Byrne is searching for a synthesis of disco, funk and various ethnic trance-musics, and hasn't quite found it yet. Jones' bass is mechanical and heavy-handed; Weymouth, who followed him, didn't exhibit her sharp contrapuntal sense. This is the "new" Heads' first time out, though, and when they work out the bugs it's going to be incredible. | ||
As it is, the audience goes bananas. "Take Me to the River" is perfect in this setting, MacDonald's wailing soul vocals setting the right mood for Byrne to slip into. "Life During Wartime" is the topper, with everyone onstage pumping out a continuous, singleminded flow of sound. A large group of hardcore fans up front shout out the chorus at the top of their lungs: "This ain't no party, this ain't no disco." Byrne hears them and makes a face that says, "Hmmm, impressive." And it is. | As it is, the audience goes bananas. "Take Me to the River" is perfect in this setting, MacDonald's wailing soul vocals setting the right mood for Byrne to slip into. "Life During Wartime" is the topper, with everyone onstage pumping out a continuous, singleminded flow of sound. A large group of hardcore fans up front shout out the chorus at the top of their lungs: ''"This ain't no party, this ain't no disco."'' Byrne hears them and makes a face that says, "Hmmm, impressive." And it is. | ||
After the Talking Heads revue, Elvis Costello lives up to expectations and then some. His set is powerful and mostly familiar, ranging through all his albums (though short-changing the last one slightly). The Attractions keep getting hotter, and are definitely pouring it on for this crowd. They blast, they pound; their wall of sound keeps getting higher and more solid. Bruce Thomas turns his bass into a lead instrument. Steve Nieve plays his fingers off, sounding like five organs at once. They are all unstoppable. | After the Talking Heads revue, Elvis Costello lives up to expectations and then some. His set is powerful and mostly familiar, ranging through all his albums (though short-changing the last one slightly). The Attractions keep getting hotter, and are definitely pouring it on for this crowd. They blast, they pound; their wall of sound keeps getting higher and more solid. Bruce Thomas turns his bass into a lead instrument. Steve Nieve plays his fingers off, sounding like five organs at once. They are all unstoppable. | ||
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'''Trouser Press, No. 56, November 1980 | '''Trouser Press, No. 56, November 1980 | ||
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[[Richard Grabel]] reports on the [[Heatwave Festival]], Saturday, [[Concert 1980-08-23 Bowmanville|August 23, 1980]], Bowmanville, | [[Richard Grabel]] reports on the [[Heatwave Festival]], Saturday, [[Concert 1980-08-23 Bowmanville|August 23, 1980]], Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. {{t}}<span style="font-size:92%">(reprinted from ''[[New Musical Express, September 6, 1980|NME]]''.)</span> | ||
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[[Ira Robbins]] reviews ''[[Taking Liberties]]''. | [[Ira Robbins]] reviews ''[[Taking Liberties]]''. | ||
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{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1980-11-00 Trouser Press page 25.jpg| | [[image:1980-11-00 Trouser Press page 25.jpg|x160px]]{{t}} | ||
[[image:1980-11-00 Trouser Press page 26.jpg| | [[image:1980-11-00 Trouser Press page 26.jpg|x160px]]{{t}} | ||
[[image:1980-11-00 Trouser Press page 27.jpg| | [[image:1980-11-00 Trouser Press page 27.jpg|x160px]] | ||
<br><small>Page scans.</small> | <br><small>Page scans.</small> | ||
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{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
[[image:1980-11-00 Trouser Press page 42 .jpg|130px | [[image:1980-11-00 Trouser Press page 42 .jpg|130px|right]] | ||
Here's Elvis — between albums, conceding the Attractions a part-time [[The Attractions: Mad About The Wrong Boy|solo]] career, still waiting for America to forgive him for insulting Ray Charles, refusing to tour this country and inscrutable as ever — with 20 tracks of marginalia to keep the fires burning until a new studio LP can be unleashed come the new year. Costello maniacs will already own the bulk of this record; for the rest, this is almost entirely first-run. | Here's Elvis — between albums, conceding the Attractions a part-time [[The Attractions: Mad About The Wrong Boy|solo]] career, still waiting for America to forgive him for insulting Ray Charles, refusing to tour this country and inscrutable as ever — with 20 tracks of marginalia to keep the fires burning until a new studio LP can be unleashed come the new year. Costello maniacs will already own the bulk of this record; for the rest, this is almost entirely first-run. | ||
Revision as of 08:56, 18 August 2021
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